Иллюзии „деревенского философа” о России. Политика Екатерины ІІ 1760-х гг. глазами Валентина Жамре Дюваля (1695 – 1775)
The philosophe champetre’s illusions about Russia: Catherine the Great’s policies in 1760-s through the eyes of Valentin Jameray Duval (1695 – 1775)

Summary/Abstract: The article discusses the idealized image of Russia and the positive perception of Catherine II‘s domestic and foreign policy during the first stage of her reign as described in the correspondence of the French philosopher Valentin Jameray Duval with the empress’ lady-of-waiting Anastasia Sokoloff (De Ribas). Covering thirteen years (1762 - 1774), the correspondence reflects all the significant events and legislation during Catherine’s reign. Duval showed interested in all innovations in the field of education and science, cultural life, Economics, health, social and religious policies. His assessment of the present of Russia is based on his good knowledge of Russian history and his interest in the main documents of Catherine’s reign - the statutes of orphanage and the Smolny Institute, the „Nakaz” (“Instruction”), and the court sentences. The Russian-Turkish war of 1768 - 1774 occupies a central place in the correspondence between Duval and Sokolova, which fits into the common European Enlightenment discourse of condemnation of the Ottoman Turks as „barbarians“. The idealized image of Russia and Catherine II in the correspondence raised a question of the authenticity of the letters. The publication of the correspondence by the diplomat in the Russian service F. A. Koch was clearly intended for the Western readers and had to convince them in the civilizational progress of the Northern Empire.

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